Gilbert fund pushes to extend tax debt relief program

• It erased $52 million in property tax debt and helped 13,000 families avoid foreclosure in Detroit in 2021-25.

The big picture: The $27 million tax relief fund is a foundational program to help stabilize the most vulnerable, part of Gilbert's broader $500 million commitment to Detroit's neighborhoods.

• That 10-year effort hit its halfway point this year, and its leadership is now assessing how to evolve for the next five years.

Catch up quick: The mega investment from the Gilbert Family Foundation and Rocket Community Fund was announced in 2021, with the goal of improving residents' housing, finances and community spaces.

• Gilbert funded it with proceeds from a stock sale, per Crain's.

Zoom in: The tax relief program came first. It's premised on PAYS, which erases property tax debt penalties, interest and fees for people who qualify for an income-based property tax exemption. That usually amounts to around 50% of back taxes.

• Then, Gilbert's funding pays off the rest of the back taxes, giving the person who was in debt a clean slate.
• PAYS is set to expire in June. A bill to extend the program passed the Senate in October and was last heard by a House committee in December.

What they're saying: Gilbert philanthropy is using this moment, its halfway point, to "shine a spotlight on the fact that that is important legislation that should continue," says Grannemann, executive director of both the fund and foundation.

By the numbers: Of the total commitment, the fund and foundation spent $297 million by the end of 2025, or 60%.

• The money has supported 325 partnerships with nearly as many organizations to execute various programs: $110 million in the category of housing, $104 million in employment and economic mobility, $79 million in public life and $3.5 million in other areas.
• The Gilbert organization declined to provide Axios a full list of grantees and programs.

What's next: The overall strategy is to layer investments in different areas to improve lives holistically, starting with housing and moving toward jobs and finances. To determine success, results from partners are analyzed with Data Driven Detroit — though the data are likely years from fully coming together.

• Gilbert's group will learn from what's not working and scale what works, then make bigger investments so certain programs live on after the decade mark, Grannemann says.

More programs under the $500 million umbrella:

⚒️ Detroit Home Repair Fund: The city's old homes have unmet repair needs totaling upward of $1 billion that no single program could solve.

• But Gilbert's group assesses chosen applicants' entire homes, not just fixing a roof or porch in a silo. It's repaired 700 homes and invested $20 million.

⚖️ Eviction Defense Fund: With $15 million from Gilbert, this fund and the city's Right to Counsel program provide legal services for low-income renters facing eviction.

• However, future funding is uncertain for Right to Counsel as the city seeks state or philanthropic dollars, and the Gilbert foundation decides whether it'll provide another tranche of funding, the Freep reports.

🤝 Detroit Housing Network: $10 million funds a "front door" hub that residents can access for help with housing issues, including one-on-one counseling and group workshops.

🏡 Make it Home: Detroit renters whose landlords are behind on taxes get the opportunity to purchase their home.

👟 Pensole Lewis College: $10 million for the recently reopened historically Black college.

🚲 Joe Louis Greenway: $15 million to support the 30-mile walking and cycling path around Detroit.